Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – With distinct wind deflector
Reexamination Certificate
2003-04-11
2004-02-17
Patel, Kiran (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
With distinct wind deflector
Reexamination Certificate
active
06692063
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a wind stop device for a passenger vehicle with a roll bar, comprising surface elements of the wind stop device and a supporting device for the surface elements of the wind stop device which can be secured on the roll bar.
A wind stop device of this type is known, for example, from DE 195 34 584 C1 or DE 196 32 352 A1.
A wind stop device which is secured to a roll bar serves to protect occupants of the passenger vehicle, who are seated in front of the roll bar, from air flowing in from the rear.
Proceeding from this, the object underlying the invention is to provide a wind stop device which can be secured to a roll bar in a simple manner.
This invention is accomplished in accordance with the invention, in a wind stop device of the type specified at the outset, in that the supporting device has at least two holding brackets arranged in spaced relationship and that the holding brackets are arranged and designed such that they can be abutted on respective bar sections of the roll bar for securing the supporting device on the roll bar.
As a result of the fact that the supporting device has holding brackets, the supporting device can be secured on a roll bar which does not need to be equipped beforehand. In particular, the roll bar need not be provided with recesses for accommodating the supporting device. As a result, the roll bar in the case of the inventive wind stop device is, on the one hand, less susceptible, for example, to dirt and the like collecting on it and, on the other hand, recesses or the like do not detract from the esthetic overall impression. Also, roll bars which are already present can be equipped subsequently with an inventive wind stop device.
The inventive wind stop device may be mounted on a roll bar via the holding brackets in a simple and rapid manner and likewise removed again easily.
As a result of the fact that the supporting device has at least two holding brackets arranged in spaced relationship it is possible to hold the supporting device on the roll bar via a clamping force effect, i.e. no form-locking elements need be provided for the connection to the roll bar. The holding brackets are, in particular, of a rigid design, wherein they can, however, have a certain elasticity in order to facilitate such a clamping fixing (for example, like a spring closure).
It is particularly advantageous when a holding bracket is designed such that it can engage around a corresponding bar section at least partially. As a result, a good hold of the supporting device on a roll bar may be achieved, namely, in particular, via a clamping force effect. Since the holding bracket can, to a certain extent, be placed around a corresponding bar section, the assembly of the supporting device is also made easier as a result since a “reference position” is created during the assembly due to the possibility of placing a holding bracket at least partially around a bar section. A bracket may be designed such that it can engage around a roll bar to such an extent that it can also be abutted on the roll bar beyond an apex of a curved surface of the roll bar. For this purpose, the bracket is preferably of an elastic design in order to make it possible for it to be pushed accordingly onto the roll bar. With a bracket pushed on, the area of the roll bar forming the apex represents a barrier against the separation of the bracket away from the roll bar.
It is particularly favorable when a holding bracket is adapted in its shape to the dimensions of the bar section, on which it is intended to abut. As a result, care is taken that the supporting device is held securely on the roll bar, wherein a satisfactory, esthetic, overall impression can be achieved.
In a favorable embodiment from a functional point of view, a holding bracket is of a channel-like design. Since a roll bar generally has bar elements which are of a tubular design with a lining arranged thereon, it is possible, in this way, for a holding bracket to engage at least partially around the bar section in a simple manner.
It is particularly favorable when a holding bracket is of an elastic design and, in particular, is of a flexible design. As a result, it is possible for a clamping force which secures the supporting device on the roll bar to be exerted in a securing position. As a result of the elastic design, the securing position may be reached in a simple manner using force for the elastic deformation, in particular, without special tools needing to be provided.
It is particularly advantageous when a holding bracket projects beyond a wind stop device surface element plane of the supporting device. As a result, the inventive wind stop device may be inserted via the holding brackets into bar elements of the roll bar, wherein the plane of the surface elements of the wind stop device is then offset relative to a plane of the roll bar. As a result, it is not necessary, in particular, to adapt the supporting device to the special configuration of the roll bar, i.e., to adapt it, for example, to the space between two bar elements but rather the adaptation has to be brought about only in relation to the supporting device of the wind stop device.
It is favorable when the at least two holding brackets are arranged at or in the vicinity of oppositely located, lateral ends of the supporting device. As a result, the two outer holding brackets may be abutted on outer bar sections, wherein these outer bar sections are, in particular, oppositely located. As a result, a good clamping force effect may be achieved for securing the supporting device on the roll bar.
If the roll bar has one or more curved elements, it is particularly favorable when a holding bracket is arranged and designed such that it can be abutted on an inner curved side of a respective bar section of the curved element. As a result, a supporting device may be clamped on the curved elements in a securing position. It is then, in particular, very advantageous when the at least two holding brackets are arranged in spaced relationship on the supporting device such that their surface directions with respect to a contact surface on the roll bar point outwards in respectively opposite directions. The holding forces and, in particular, clamping forces of the supporting device in the securing position of the supporting device then point outwards (away from the interior of the vehicle), namely in opposite directions at the respective outer sections of the two bar elements so that a high clamping force effect can be achieved in this way.
In one embodiment, the supporting device is designed in one piece. This may be stored and also mounted in a simple manner.
In this respect, it is favorable when the supporting device has a frame structure in order to bring about a saving on weight, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, in order to hold surface elements of the wind stop device, such as wind deflector webs consisting of netting or fabric which are permeable to air but impervious to wind in a simple manner.
It is particularly advantageous when the supporting device is designed such that its length can be varied parallel to the roll bar. As a result, a space-saving storage of the wind stop device may be achieved when the corresponding length is minimized. On the other hand, such a supporting device may be mounted on a roll bar in a simple manner in that the holding brackets are placed in position, the length is then increased due to a force acting on it until the securing position is reached, and in this securing position the holding brackets abut, in particular, on corresponding bar sections of the roll bar and exert a force on them, namely acting outwards at the respective ends of the roll bar. The supporting device is then held securely on the roll bar due to a clamping force.
It is particularly favorable from a constructional point of view when the supporting structure has one or more swivel joints for the variation in length. As a result of such a swivel joint, sections of the supporting structure may be pivoted relative to one-another and the supporting s
Dreher Martin
Maeurle Hermann
Riehle Hans
Riehle Joerg
Lipsitz Barry R.
McAllister Douglas M.
ORIS Fahrzeugteile Hans Riehle GmbH
Patel Kiran
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